Wife of Cape Girardeau mayor dies

Frances K. "Fran" Rediger, 76, wife of Cape Girardeau Mayor Harry Rediger, died suddenly Friday while on an oceanliner cruise with her husband.

"Cape lost a real angel," said former Cape Girardeau mayor Jay Knudtson on Saturday.

Jay Knudtson and his family have known the Redigers for about 25 years, from the time Knudtson moved to Cape Girardeau. He said family and friends of Fran are devastated over her death.

Harry and Fran Rediger were raised in Seward, Nebraska, and moved to Cape Girardeau in 1977 when Harry was transferred for his job with J.C. Penney Co.

Knudtson said when he served as mayor, Harry Rediger was treasurer. Knudtson said because both served as mayor of Cape Girardeau, it has made their families close over the years.

"Harry and Fran have led the way in both community service and as an example of what a couple is supposed to be. They have represented the city with class and dignity long before he assumed the role of mayor. His accomplishments are incredible, and I think they are further an example of the power of partnership," Knudtson said.

Kathy Marchi, a friend of the Redigers, said Fran died while they were on a ocean cruise around North America. Fran died in Grenada, and Harry is returning today once the ship docks in Barbados, Marchi said.

The Redigers have gone on more than 50 cruises, Knudsten estimated. It was something they enjoyed immensely, he said.

Fran also enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, playing cards, volunteering and baking, Marchi and Knudtson said. Over the years, she submitted recipes to the Southeast Missourian, and won the newspaper's best cookie contest in 2009.

Marchi said she met Fran 29 years ago at a Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce banquet and have been friends since. Marchi said Fran always was one to get others involved; she invited Marchi and her husband on their first cruise, encouraged her to begin volunteering at Saint Francis Medical Center and recruited her to help collect Beanie Babies for Fran's family.

The Redigers have received many awards. Their most recent was last year, when they earned the Southeast Missouri State University's Friend of the University Award. The award recognizes those who support and who are closely associated with the mission, purposes, plans and programs of the university. It is the highest honor bestowed by the Southeast Missouri University Foundation board.

At the time, Fran served as a member of the Southeast Missouri University Foundation board of directors and was active with the university's annual Walk for Women's Athletics, the former Southeast Booster Club, the University Foundation's Power of Women Luncheon Committee and served in an advisory role to Southeast's College of Education, according to archived stories in the Southeast Missourian.

The Redigers were married June 8, 1958. They have four children, Cindy Propst, Kathy Sedlacek, Doug Rediger and Michelle Burris; seven grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren.

Knudtson said last week at the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce dinner that Fran was battling a serious health issue. He said he will never forget what Harry told him at a Martin Luther King Jr. event earlier this year.

"Harry Rediger came up to me and he hugged me and held me close and said he had just found out the cancer was bad, and that they had a large fight ahead of them," Knudtson recalled. "But to their credit, she raised back up, and they decided to continue on with the cruise that they had planned and they decided to not let cancer take them down. ... [Harry said,] 'We are going to fight it aggressively,' and so they had their minds set on certainly the challenge ahead, but they were committed to the fight, and I guess, unfortunately, the good Lord had a different plan," Knudtson said.

Funeral arrangements by Ford and Sons Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau were incomplete Saturday afternoon.

smaue@semissourian.com

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